How long should I idle the tractor, versus shut it down ie. three or four minutes off the tractor? How long should I idle the tractor (MX5100 with turbo) before shutting it down?
idle or shut down?
- Thread starter crose237
- Start date
That really is a play-it-by-ear decision. The biggest factor for letting it run for me is; if the battery is dead, how far to walk to find jumper cables and a vehicle that can jump it. If I stopping for lunch back at the shop, shut it down. Stopping to make a phone call, let it idle. It just depends.
After pricing a replacement starter motor, I decided to make an effort to limit the uses to get the most years from it.
After pricing a replacement starter motor, I decided to make an effort to limit the uses to get the most years from it.
TripleR
Active member
Equipment
BX2200, BX2660, L5740 HSTC, M8540HDC and some other tractors and equipment
Like birddogger, I doubt there are any real clear cut guidelines. We have a M8540 which has a turbo and we make sure it cools down prior to shut down, but the length of time depends on what you are doing. If working under load, I allow about five minutes, but often incorporate the trip back to the shed in and need little "cool down" by the time I arrive.
On our naturally aspirated engines, I have let them run for twenty minutes or more while I kick back and eat lunch in air conditioned comfort. If I am going to be out of it "for a while (no set time), some times I shut it down and sometimes I don't.
On our naturally aspirated engines, I have let them run for twenty minutes or more while I kick back and eat lunch in air conditioned comfort. If I am going to be out of it "for a while (no set time), some times I shut it down and sometimes I don't.
firejunkie
New member
Equipment
Kubota Mx4700 4w/FEL, Modern Ag cutter,Dirt dog Box blade and Rake, Custom forks
The engine that is in your tractor (2403 series engine) in just about the same engine Bobcat uses in their skid steers. Those units get started and shut down without abandon all day everyday for years on end no cool down or anything of the sort. The rental company I work for has over 3,000 of these units(currently and over 10,000 sold in the last ten years) out of all of these units with an average of 2,000 - 3,000hrs on the clock when they are sold over the past 10 years we have in total replaced 3 turbos, 20 fuel injection units and 5 engines. I purchased a Kubota and more specifically the MX4700 (with the 2403 series engine) for this reason. This engine is probably by far the most reliable (even under abuse) engine in our fleets. For cool down you rarely need more than a few minutes for a turbo, for non turbo, your just wasting fuel letting it run more than a minute.
bcbull378
Member
Equipment
GL3830,fel,brush hog,pallet forks,disc,gannon,auger,springtooth,plow,drag,ripper
I always let my tractor cool down while I give it a shot of grease and give it a good look over to make sure all is ok a 5 min cool down beats the heck outta of big $$$$ repairs..... Dan
Maybe it's just a question about, what problems do I get if the traktor won't start again. How long is the way home...
Working around the house, no problem at all. But somewhere in the middle of nowhere, I would keep the engine running. As the computers guy's say: "Never change a running system".
carl
Working around the house, no problem at all. But somewhere in the middle of nowhere, I would keep the engine running. As the computers guy's say: "Never change a running system".
carl
On turbo machines I have always tried to do this. Stop and let it idle while I do a walk around inspection. Tires, lug nuts, look for any leaks, ect. All these need to be looked at anyway and this is the perfect time. Stretch the legs after a long day and give everything time to cool down. Then shut down the machine. My last loader was 11 years old with 25K hrs on it. Still ran as good as a new one, didn't burn any oil and had the original turbo.